Design is about identifying and working within given constraints to arrive at new and better solutions. Life, just like a design problem, is full of constraints: time, money, age, location, circumstances, etc. You cannot have everything. If you want more, you have to be creative about how to make what you need and what you want coexist. This requires design thinking.

By weaving your present life and your vision for the life you love together, you can create multiple life expressions before you choose one to “prototype” and live.

Here is how to think like a designer:

1. Think positively.

2. Put yourself in the shoes of other people and see things from their perspective.

3. See the big picture.

4. Collaborate with others, as this makes the ideas so much richer.

5. Always ask yourself “what if?” and take your answers seriously.

As you design your life, remember to think holistically and collaboratively, like a designer, with optimism and empathy. And to ask yourself, what if I did this?